


For freedom and the fear of forgetting

by dapperanachronism



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Escape, Getting Together, Hydra (Marvel), Kidnapping, M/M, Minor Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-06 06:30:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11030559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dapperanachronism/pseuds/dapperanachronism
Summary: Steve's eyes linger on Tony until the last possible second, as if he’s trying to memorize features he’s desperate not to forget.Because he will, if they don’t get out of here and fast.





	For freedom and the fear of forgetting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MusicalLuna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicalLuna/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Art for for freedom and the fear of forgetting](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11034492) by [MusicalLuna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicalLuna/pseuds/MusicalLuna). 



> I had the great joy of being able to write this story for Musicalluna's amazing art which can be found [here](https://68.media.tumblr.com/16e2b8a10cb2b6b3f386e231a7ab1125/tumblr_oqp4ia589a1tcpigko2_1280.jpg) and [here](https://68.media.tumblr.com/e519733771c97b8646da8fad328206b7/tumblr_oqp4ia589a1tcpigko1_1280.jpg). This art inspired me to try something different and to challenge myself, and I'm so grateful for being able to work with such a great, supportive, creative partner.
> 
> Huge thanks to [antigrav_vector ](http://archiveofourown.org/users/antigrav_vector/)for the beta and for helping me work through the action sequences.

“Come on Tony, I need you to stay with me.”

Steve’s voice is grating – like half a dozen grinding gears, metal crunching on metal. Though to be fair, it not Steve’s fault, it’s just that Tony’s brain is already going haywire.

“Where the hell do you think I’m going?” Tony snaps back, kicking at the stone wall. He’s already searched every inch of the small space. There’s no way out. No crack to exploit. No hole to squeeze through.

At least this time he didn’t wake up hooked up to a car battery. Thank fuck for small mercies.

“Tony, we need to focus,” Steve says, pulling him back _again_ to the here and now. Tony’s jaw clenches, teeth grinding as he paces back across the small cell for at least the dozenth time. He _was_ focusing, damnit Steve. He was the one trying to get them out of this hell hole-

“Tony, would you at least look at me?”

“For the love of all that is holy stop saying ‘Tony’!” Tony finally snaps, his eyes narrowing on Steve. Somewhere in the back of his mind he wrestles with a touch of guilt. Steve means well, but he has two default states when he’s stressed and worried -- punching things, and making sure his team is okay. And since punching things is out of the question -- even a super soldier will break bones against stone -- he’s left with door number two.

Which is annoying, because Tony, is _fine._ Or at least he will be once they get out.

And therein lies the problem.

Because as it stands, there is no way out.

“Steve, I’m sorry-” He starts to say, but his apology is cut off. There are footsteps in the corridor, half a dozen pairs of heavy boots. They stop outside the door to the cell, Tony hears a lock click, and he knows -- knows down to the very core of his being -- what is going to happen next.

Well fuck that. He’s not going to let that happen again. Not to either of them.

The door creaks open -- and seriously, hadn’t HYDRA heard of WD-40? Really, it’s not hard to oil hinges -- and Tony launches himself at the incoming guard. He’s got nothing but his fists, but he’s been training. Steve insisted on it, saying he might not always have the suit at his beck and call, and ‘why not Tony? You already know how to fight, you should just keep it up’.

Now wasn’t the time to bother telling Steve that he was right. Not that Steve needed to be told. Obviously.

Tony’s plan of attack is short lived. It’s savage, desperate, it lacks control and the guards were expecting something like this. Of course they were. Even Tony could begrudgingly admit that while the average HYDRA goon wasn’t the brightest bulb in the box, but they didn’t need to be. They were good at the jobs they were brought on for, and right now that job was ‘keep Tony Stark subdued.’ Tony manages to land one quick jab to the chin of the first guard, and a swift kick to another, but a second later finds him flat on the ground locked in an arm bar.

From the corner of his eye, Tony sees Steve still fighting. Good. Of course Steve is still fighting. Tony has seen Steve take down more people than this single handedly. Hah, take that HYDRA scum. Teach you to underestimate Steve fucking Rogers. Tony’s just about to say something snarky even though he can’t move and care barely breathe. But then one of the guards pulls out something Tony can’t quite see. He jabs it at Steve, and almost instantly, Steve yells in shock, and goes down.

He doesn’t get back up.

==

Tony loses track of how long Steve is gone. There are no windows, no clocks. He doesn’t have his watch or his phone, or anything of use. Honestly, he’s not even sure Steve will be tossed back in with him . But he holds on to the hope that he is, because here, alone in the dim, cool cell, Tony is capable of quietly admitting to himself he’s not sure he can get through this alone. There’s only so much he can deal with.

And HYDRA took his Steve. That was a blow. They took Steve, and now they had him god only knows where, doing who knows what. Nothing good. Tony’s read the files. He knows what HYDRA is capable of.

His brain supplies him an image of Steve looking at him, cold expression without a hint of recognition. It’s enough to pull a strangled sob from Tony’s throat.

It doesn’t matter that they’ve never talked about how they feel. It doesn’t matter that they constantly toe a line they have yet to cross. They don’t have to. No amount of self-sabotaging doubt can change the fact that somehow, slowly, when he wasn’t looking, Steve became his and he became Steve’s. They fit in a way that shouldn’t make sense, but does. Steve is a constant.

And HYDRA took that away from him.

He does another round of the cell, but nothing has changed. He sits, and rests. He needs to conserve his strength if he’s going to get out of here, if he’s going to save Steve and get them back home. Because he _will_ save Steve.

The initial spike of fear ebbs, his brain slows back down to a level where he can actually think clearly. He focuses on slowing his breathing -- his brain can’t work without oxygen. His therapist would be proud of him. He’s got this.

Heavy footfalls sound in the corridor, and all the calm shatters. His adrenaline spikes and he’s on his feet, eyes darting around for a way out that he knows isn’t there. It’s a visceral response, and the rational part of of his brain _hates_ himself for it.

Sorry rational brain, today isn’t your day.

The cell door creaks open again -- that’s going to get old real quick -- Tony twitches at the sound, and at the modified stun guns that precede the soldiers into the room. Well at least they don’t want anyone dead yet. Tony isn’t sure if that’s should be a comfort or not. The guards step aside, flanking the doorway, and Tony prepares for whatever is coming next. He’s probably not ready for it, but it’s not like he has a choice.

A figure stumbles forward, tall and broad, a bag on his head masking his features. Tony’s heart leaps into his throat. He dares to hope, as HYDRA drags the man into the cell. Tony jumps to his feet, but a hooked-nosed guard grabs him by the wrist and pushes him back against the wall.

Wordlessly, the agents rip the bag off the man’s head and step out, slamming the door behind them as they leave.

Tony can hardly believe what he’s seeing.

“Steve,” he breathes, rushing forward, arms around Steve to support him. He’s unsteady on his feet, looks a little dazed and woozy. There is a small gash at his temple but it’s already healing. That’s a good sign.

“Didn’t think you’d get rid of me that easily did you,” Steve says with a weak smirk and slides to the ground, leaning heavily on Tony as Tony goes down with him.

“I couldn’t get rid of you even if I tried. You’re the most stubborn asshole I know,” Tony huffs as he subtly checks Steve over for more injuries. None. Which means whatever HYDRA did to him, it didn’t leave a visible mark. That wasn’t a comfort.

“Second most stubborn,” Steve corrects, resting back against the wall. Tony blinks in confusion, and Steve smirks again, turning his head to look at Tony. His eyes are unfocused -- Tony is beginning to put together a theory of what HYDRA is doing -- but they still shine with a mischievous twinkle.

“You’re way more stubborn that I am.”

“Okay, first of all that doesn’t count,” Tony complains, inciting laughter from Steve. “And second of all, no way. You’re the king of all stubborn. You’re like... I don’t know even know. But you’re the actual worst. A total stubborn thorn in my side, Rogers.”

Steve laughs again, and it’s a comfort. It’s enough to make Tony believe that they’ll actually get out of here. Because they’re both stubborn assholes, and HYDRA doesn’t stand a chance against their stubborn combined.

==

Tony’s newfound optimism is short lived. It’s only a few hours before Tony once again hears footsteps coming down the hall. His stomach is in knots, but this time when the door opens, instead of fighting, he places himself between the team of guards and Steve, trying to use his body as a shield. He knows it’s futile. He can’t beat the agents, but he still resists. They won’t take Steve without a fight. Once again, Tony finds himself on the ground, pinned by a HYDRA agent who grins derisively and calls his attempts to fight back ‘adorable.’ Tony makes a mental note -- that bastard will be the second to go down. Right after the one who keeps shocking Steve to paralyze him so they can drag him out.

At least this time Tony is a little more hopeful that Steve will return.

And he does return. Eventually. Once again, a few mild contusions, a few already healing cuts. But he’s still weak on his feet, his movements are slow and sluggish. But his distant expression lights up when he sees Tony.

They fall into a pattern after that. A horrible, familiar pattern. The guards come, Tony puts up a fight, loses, they take Steve. After an indeterminate amount of time, they bring Steve back, dump him in the cell. Sometimes Steve is okay. Sometimes he care barely hold himself up. But always he recognises Tony. Small mercies.

But Tony’s not an idiot, and he’s started asking Steve about what HYDRA is doing to him when he’s away. Steve reports what he hears. He’s always blindfolded so he can’t see where they’re taking him, but he listens. He counts the agent’s steps -- his are unreliable since half the time they’re dragging him. But they put the pieces together, both of them. And what HYDRA is doing now, it’s only the first step.

Neither of them are prepared for what comes next.

Steve plays brave, but Tony sees the growing desperation in his eyes every time the footsteps signal that someone is coming to take Steve away again. His eyes linger on Tony until the last possible second, as if he’s trying to memorize features he’s desperate not to forget.

Because he will, if they don’t get out of here and fast.

Tony starts coming up with a plan.

Step one is making the guards complacent, teaching them to expect exactly what Tony wants them to expect. So every time they come in, he resists. He puts up enough of a fight so that the guards will get used to subduing him, but not enough that they really have to work for it.

Step two is figuring a way out. From Steve’s reports, Tony can figure out which was the lab is, or the medical wing, or whatever the hell the want to call the place HYDRA is testing out its super soldier drugs. The bases they’ve uncovered before have all been built in a similar way; labs, servers, control rooms all deep at the center where they’re more secure. So it stands to reason that ‘out’ is in the complete opposite direction. Judging by the temperature of the stone walls, the construction of the cell, and the fact that Steve mentioned that there’s been no sign of sun or windows, Tony is willing to bet they’re underground. That fits HYDRA’s MO as well. More secure, easier to hide.

So, get out of the cell, then get out of the base, then get above ground. Sure, no problem. This was a great plan. There definitely weren’t a hundred different ways that this could go wrong. Tony glances down at Steve who was resting, head pillowed on Tony’s thigh, eyes closed though he wasn’t really thinking. Tony gently runs a hand through Steve’s hair, and Steve sighs softly. It was a shit plan. But they had to try it.

“Steve?” Tony calls softly, giving his shoulder a gentle shake. “I think we need to make our move. Next time they come for you.” That gets Steve moving. He sits up quickly and blinks his eyes.

“You sure we’re ready?” he asks, eyeing Tony carefully.

“No. Not even remotely. But we don’t have a choice. I can’t stay in here much longer, and we’re running out of time for you. Whatever they gave you last time, it wasn’t as bad. You’re more alert than you sometimes are so we need to take advantage of that. There’s nothing more we could learn that makes waiting worth it. Come hell or highwater, I am getting you out of here. Us out of here.”

Steve doesn’t argue. There’s no point, Tony’s right. They need to act now while they still have the chance.

Before long, Tony hears the footsteps. He tenses, and beside him Steve does the same. There is a reason that he makes JARVIS tell him every time someone is approaching the workshop. There is a reason he gets cranky when Clint or Sam or someone wears their boots into the kitchen or the common space, and it’s nothing to do with the mess. It’s everything to do with the fact that heavy boots approaching never meant anything good, and even now, years after the fact it still makes him jumpy. Looks like this little stint isn’t going to help that. Thanks HYDRA.

 

The door creaks open, Tony and Steve look at each other one last time, trading a determined nod. Then all hell breaks loose.

It’s always the same, Tony jumps to his feet, steps between the door and Steve. Hooked-nose steps forward, grinning, like he never tires of beating Tony up. But this time, when hooked-nose gets him in a hold, he slaps a shackle on Tony’s wrist. Wait, what? This wasn’t part of the plan. He looks, and the other cuff is on Steve’s wrist already. Damn, how did they move so fast? And shit… this meant that this time they were going to take Tony with Steve. That didn’t bode well for anyone. Stick to the plan. That’s all they had. No time for changes now.

Instead of resisting or trying to break out, Tony goes limp. Completely dead weight, dropping his body at exactly the right angle. It has the intended effect and hooked-nose loses his footing, stumbles forward. That’s all Tony needs. Using their combined momentum, he drags them both to the ground and rolls, throwing hooked-nose off of him. See Steve? He’s been paying attention in sparring. Steve had responded by dropping himself, giving Tony the slack he needed to move. Tony rolls back to his feet and stomps the back of hooked-nose’s face. He hears bone and cartilage breaking and grinding, but he’s not in this to fight fair. He’s in this to incapacitate his enemy by any means necessary.

With Hooked-Nose out of the picture, Tony turns his attention to Trigger Happy. This is usually the part where Steve goes down -- every time Tony sees it, he swears he stops breathing. Whatever the souped up stun gun was, HYDRA had clearly designed it to take down a super soldier. They’d had ample time to practise over the years with a super soldier of their own, Tony thinks grimly. But this time, Steve doesn’t go down. Tony’s fight with Hooked-Nose served its purpose of both taking out the agent and providing a distraction. Instead of paying attention to Steve, Trigger Happy is staring at him, pointing the weapon at his face.

“Rookie mistake, Trigger Happy,” Tony says just as Steve attacks the agent from the side. This is nothing like them sparring together. Steve’s movements are sharp and brutally efficient. He’s looking to end the fight as quickly as possible. He disarms Trigger Happy -- impressive since he only has one unencumbered arm--, but the agents responds by pulling out a heavy knife and taking a swipe at Steve. Steve tries to deflect the blow but the blade still catches him across the stomach. Tony’s seething but Steve doesn’t seemed fazed as he gets a hold on the guy’s arm and twists. Tony almost winces as he watches the agent’s arm bend in a way that he’s pretty certain arms aren’t supposed to bend. He wastes no time before turning on the remaining four agents.

Tony jumps in beside him. He might not be as fast, or strong, or skilled as Steve, but he’s damn well going to fight. And try hard not to get distracted by Steve in action. HYDRA caught them off guard the first time, but not now. This was his Steve, out in full fury. Tony drops one more agent, and a few seconds later the last three are unconscious on the ground. They won’t be unconscious long, but Tony hopes they’re injured enough that they won’t be moving too quickly once they wake up.

Steve stops to catch his breath and Tony quickly strips all the equipment from the fallen agents. Weapons, radios, earpieces, access cards. He lets Steve take point as the step out of the cell, locking the team of agents in behind them. It’ll buy them a bit of time, leaving the agents locked up and without means of communication. Tony figures they have maybe ten minutes before someone starts wondering why Steve hasn’t shown up to the lab yet. It’s not a lot of time, but it’s something. And that’s assuming that they don’t end up alerting someone else.

There are a lot of unknown variables. Really, they’re just winging it and hoping for the best. And the shackles... That hadn’t been part of the plan. The fight in the cell had been a lot harder because of them. They’d both ended up more beat up than Tony was hoping for, and this was really going to put a damper on the plan going forward.

“We need to get out of these,” Tony pointed out, shaking his wrist.

“We can’t, I’ve tried.” Steve says flatly. “They’ve been putting me in these so I don’t try and escape. They were designed to hold Bucky and the only release for them that I know if is in the labs, which is the opposite direction. We have to go like this.”

Well that just sucks, doesn’t it.

“This way,” Steve says, leading them out of the detention wing. There’s no one guarding the entrance to the block. Sloppy work. But good for them. Steve directs them to the right, away from the block and Tony falls into step behind him. It’s slow going. They need to move quietly; Steve is straining to hear any sounds that might indicate enemy presence. On more than one occasion they need to divert to avoid detection. Or at least Tony assumes that they are diverting. Neither of them actually knows the way out and the aimless wandering isn’t getting them anywhere. Tony stops them just outside an open office and gestures inside. There is an agent -- officer by the looks of him -- working at an unlocked terminal. Perfect. It would save him having to try and hack his way in, time they didn’t have to spare.

Steve nods his understanding and creeps into the office. The man is facing the door -- because unlike some of the other goons HYDRA had on their payroll this guy isn’t a total idiot -- so Steve needs to move quickly. As he darts into the room, Tony follows and quickly shuts the door behind them. No sense alerting passersby to what’s happening here. The Officer yells in surprise at the sight of Steve barreling into his office, all broad shoulders and grim determination. Somehow, the effect isn’t lessened by having Tony in tow. He should be afraid, Tony thinks with smug satisfaction. Steve’s on a mission, and Steve on a mission gets shit done. The officer simultaneously reaches for his weapon and some kind of alarm button, but never makes it to either. Steve is faster, wasting no time drawing the stun gun and firing. The man drops out of his chair and to the ground like a lead brick.

“Nice going, Cap,” Tony said as he smoothly slides into the chair that had been occupied by the officer a moment before. While Steve is eyeing the downed officer, Tony sets about digging into the open work station, looking for anything useful. Like floor plans. Or schematics. Or - “Bingo,” Tony says, tapping into the security feed. Sure, it wouldn’t be as much help when they were on the go since Agents didn’t have the good sense to just stay still, but it at least gave him an idea which routes were the clearest, and what the actual lay out of the complex was like.

“Steve, I think I’ve got a way-” Tony was cut off by an alarm blaring all around him, followed by a disembodied voice over an unseen loudspeaker system, declaring a ‘security breach,’ and ‘unauthorized personnel on site.’

“I’m guessing they mean us,” Steve said flatly as he swiped the officers access card. Good thinking Steve. If the building was going into lockdown they’d probably needed a high level clearance to override the locks they encountered their way out.

“You’d be right,” Tony replied. There wasn’t much time, but with a last few keystrokes he managed to put most of the cameras on their route out onto a thirty second loop. It wouldn’t buy them much time -- with the building in lock down they’d been looking for something like this -- but Tony was desperate for every last second they could wrestle for themselves.

“Come on Steve, I think I’ve got a way out of here.”

It’s Tony who takes the lead this time, racing down corridors with Steve beside him. _Weapon up,_ a voice in his head that sounded suspiciously like Rhodey says. Tony quickly raises his gun as they reach a corner. Steve signals for him to stop and Tony does, covering Steve as he darts around the corner. Two shots, two thuds as bodies hit the floor. Thank god for super soldier hearing, since they can’t exactly check the corners with mirrors. Their path leads in the opposite direction from the foot soldiers, and Tony doesn’t look back as they run. They’re probably not dead. These are guns they lifted off the cell guards, firing modified rounds. Because real bullets kill super soldiers, and obviously HYDRA didn’t want their prize dead. Not when there were so many other uses for him.

Bile rises in Tony’s throat but he doesn’t have time to think about all the ways he’d like to exact his revenge on these assholes. He’d settle for just leveling the base, but at this rate they’d be lucky just to get out in one piece.

“Next door on your left,” Tony instructs, “there’s an access stairwell that’ll take us up. I think by the looks of this, the base backs into an old mine. We should be able to lose them in there. And you know, hopefully find a way out.” It was smart thinking, building the base here. If ever it was infiltrated, there were ample escape routes. HYDRA could blow the base and scatter like the roaches they were.

At the top of the third flight stairs, Steve presses an ear to the door, listening. The door is heavy, reinforced metal, and Tony doubts that even Steve can be certain of what lies on the other side. But again, it’s not like they have a choice but to go through. Tony just kind of really wishes he knew what they were walking into.

They move in sync, Steve slams into the crash bar, shoving the door open. Tony follows on Steve’s heels and they end up standing back-to-back in the corridor. Two agents appear around the corner, catch sight of Tony, and freeze. One raises his gun and points not at him, but at Steve, over Tony’s shoulder. The other grabs for her radio.

“Targets located in-” She doesn’t finish her sentence before Tony fires a burst of shots. They’re a little sloppy, at least one misses its mark, but it hardly matters. Both agents drop just as Steve spins around. Tony isn’t even going to hide the fact that watching someone who isn’t Steve go down is immensely satisfying.

“Are you alright?” Steve asks desperately, hands quickly checking Tony for injuries. Which… doesn’t make a lot of sense. Steve is the one who’d actually bleeding -- fuck HYDRA, seriously. How _dare_ they.

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine. Stop fussing. We need to move, we’re running out of time.” He grabs Steve’s shoulder and squeezes -- just briefly -- before he takes off down the corridor again, stepping over the agent’s bodies. The cuffs are a pain in the ass, they definitely make moving a hell of a lot more difficult, and Tony wants them _off_ dammit. But there is a comfort in knowing exactly where Steve is, in knowing that he hasn’t fallen behind or that they haven’t been separated.

Thirty metres along this corridor and to the right is the loading dock. If he’d extrapolated from the footage correctly, the should be maintenance accesses into the tunnel of the mine that the base backed into. Tony was just hoping beyond all hope that HYDRA wasn’t actually _using_ the mine. There was no indication that this was the case. But still.

Now, between them and relative freedom, there is just the wide open storage dock. Steve’s hands are surprisingly steady as he swipes the access card that they’d lifted from office guy, and they both breathe a sigh of relief. It’s short lived, because on the other side of the wide double door is a dozen agents on high alert. Agents on high alert with their guns raised at the intruders. Guns that look very much like they were firing the lethal kind of rounds.

Before Tony could respond or assess their rapidly declining situation, Steve grabs his hands and pulls him down into cover behind a crate, shielding Tony with his body just as a shot rang out.

“Steve!” Tony gasps in a panic as he sees a new streak of red appear on Steve’s arm, and Steve’s face contorts in a grimace of pain.

“It’s just a graze. Worry about it later, Tony,” Steve says firmly. It’s almost an order, and normally Tony might resent that. But right now, the odds kind of stacked against them. There’ll be plenty of time for snark later -- once they get out of this mess.

“Don’t shoot them!” comes an angry voice from the other side of the bay, “they’re no good to us dead.”

Huh. Well that’s not ominous at all. Tony’s chest tightens at the implication behind those words, and beside him Steve visibly tenses. It’s not like they both don’t already know what HYDRA’s planning for them -- or at least for Steve -- but that doesn’t make it any easier to hear.

“We have an advantage now,” Tony whispers as Steve shifts into a better position and checks the clip in his stolen gun. “Or well. Kind of an advantage. They’re pulling their punches. We’re not.”

It’s not like he’s going to lose any sleep over it if some of these assholes don’t make it out of the base at the end of the day. And he’s going to do what needs to be done to get he and Steve out of there. But that doesn’t mean he’s going to delight in it.

“Door is ahead and to the left,” Steve informs him after risking a quick glance around the side of the container. There are footsteps coming towards them, circling around the sides of the rooms ready to flank them. They need to move now or they won’t get the chance.

“On three,” Steve orders, “then we move.”

Three comes too quickly, but Tony is on his feet, scoping out the room for the next bit of cover while Steve fires his gun.

“Cover!” The HYDRA commander yells. “They’re armed!”

Damned right, they are. Armed and dangerous.

Two of the agents make to dive across an open space to a crate of their own a few feet closer to their position. Tony raises his gun and fire two shots in their direction. It buys them a few more feet of space.

Tony tugs them behind another stack of boxes, but the position is only temporary. “They’re not going to risk shooting at us. At least, hopefully they won’t,” Tony points out. “If we make it through the emergency exit, I think I can jam the lock so they can’t follow us into the mine. At least for long enough to give us a head start.”

“So you’re suggesting we run for it?” Steve asks, then quickly leans out of cover long enough to fire at a couple of goons who were trying to get the drop on them. Tony shivers slightly. Even drugged up and injured, Steve is in his element. It’s definitely not the time for ogling, but damn, it’s a beautiful sight, Steve’s grim determination, straight back and strong shoulders, and deadly accuracy. For a guy that doesn’t carry a gun in a fight, Steve is pretty damn good at using them.

“I’m suggesting we run for it,” Tony confirms as Steve ducks back under cover.

“Well it’s not the dumbest idea you’ve ever had.”

Tony snorts. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. On three, Cap?”

It is a dumb idea. They’re gambling on the hope that none of the agents are going to think they’re stupid enough to run across an open space, and they’re gambling to the hope that no one is going to shoot them on reflex. Admittedly, the odds are shit. But better than picking their way across the space foot by foot waiting for HYDRA to overwhelm them.

And between them, they have enough bullets to cover them. They run. Tony looks forward, guiding their way across the space, Steve looks back, covering their all or nothing retreat. The chain between them keeps them together, ensuring neither is going to fall behind without the other. Steve’s heel catches on something and he stumbles. But Tony’s right there to catch him, arm quickly going around Steve’s waist to keep him upright, pulling him backwards just as one of the goons decides to say fuck it and fire back at them. They’re nearly at the door, and evidently, Trigger Happy the second has decided that despite what his commander ordered, damaged goods are better than no goods.

“Don’t let them out!” Commander yells. Huh. So apparently commander agrees with Trigger Happy 2.0. Good to know. Definitely time to get out.

Six agents dart into view, guns raised to fire a volley while several more race up the sides of the room towards the back door. It’s an all out siege now. Tony only hopes he can shut down the lock in time. Steve charges through the door, dragging Tony behind him just as the shots ring out. Tony hears one of them ping off the metal door frame as it clangs shut behind him. Too close.

They’re outside the base. The corridor they’re in is narrow and and dark, save for the dim emergency lighting that lines the walls. It’s enough to work by. Steve shoves his good shoulder against the door and braces against anyone who tries to get out after them. For one brief moment of blind panic, Tony thinks he’s made a mistake, that there is no lock on this side. But there it is. Just to the left of Steve. One of those little black plastic boxes with the red LED. Somehow, Tony manages to get his fingers around the case and rip it off, exposing the wires and the circuitry inside.

It’s not enough just to rip the wires out -- that’ll probably just disable the lock by the looks of it which is kind of the opposite of what he wants. The point of this little exercise is to make it so that HYDRA can’t come chasing after them immediately. Everything he does is about buying more time, and maybe, just maybe, he’ll manage to net enough.

God, but he wishes he had some tools right about now.

“Hurry up Tony, I’m not going to be able to hold them if they start getting insistent.”

“You’re getting insistent,” Tony mutters on reflex as he squints at the wires in the dim light.

“Yes. I am. Thanks for noticing,” Steve quips back.

Tony grins. This isn’t the time or the place for banter, but he doesn’t care. It calms him a little, and that’s what he needs. Especially since manipulating the wires when one of his hands is on a short leash is a pain in the ass. It takes a long, painful few seconds of careful manoeuvering, ripping out wires and bypassing connections. Tony yelps as his fingers slip and one of the live wires sends a tingle of a shock through him. But he wrestles the damn thing in place, and not a moment too soon as HYDRA starts pounding at the door. Tony hears faint swearing on the other side, he holds his breath as he sees the LED light blink twice and then stay red.

“That’s got it. I tripped up the sensors so that all the access cards will read as errors. They’re not getting through here until either either reprogramme everything, or break the door down. In either case, we’re going to be long gone.”

==

Down the corridor, it was impossible to know which direction they were headed, or how long they'd been walking. Tony could admit that this was the flaw in his plan -- sure, they were out of the base, but they were lost, they were dehydrated, and HYDRA was still coming after them. Unless they were complete and total idiots, they would have made sure to have at least a rough sketch of the tunnels around their base, for security if nothing else. It was only a matter of time before they sent in a team to track Tony and Steve and bring them back in.

Steve. Steve was fading fast. It was actually really jarring to see. Sure, Tony was used to Steve being run down on occasion, used to him taking hits, used to him occasionally needing to recover. They all did, and despite Tony's occasional jokes to the contrary, Steve was still human. But this... this was something different. The longer they moved, the more sluggish Steve became. Tony started running numbers in his head -- he couldn't help himself. It had been hours since the last time HYDRA would have had a chance to inject him with something, which means that whatever they had given him last was either slow release, or had been building in his system the whole time they'd been here. Neither of which boded well for Steve. Tony did his best to shove the spiraling panic over Steve out of his mind, because it's not like that's going to help them get out of this place any faster. But it does help him to avoid thinking about the fact that they're stuck in cave tunnels.

_Damnit Stark, this is no time to lose it. Get your shit together, Steve needs you,_ he thinks. It helps. But only slightly.

“This place is a maze,” Steve mutters as they turn down another corridor. It feels like they’ve been walking for hours, but in reality it hasn’t been that long. It’s just the lack of sunlight, the time in captivity, the stress that’s messing with their sense of time. And the fact that they have no fucking clue where they are. “I mean it makes sense, good strategy. Base gets hit, some of these tunnels are bound to collapse. Some of these supports aren’t in great shape,” he says, running fingers along one of the wooden uprights supporting the wall of the tunnel, “Smart to keep multiple escape routes, open, and makes it damn difficult for someone to try and sneak in this way.”

“We’re just lucky they never bothered to install video surveillance down here,” Tony adds. Steve is just about to agree, but before he can say anything he freezes, his brow drawing tight and his expression hardening. Tony doesn’t need to ask why the sudden change -- he can hear it too. There’s an echo down the corridor that’s not just ambient noise. Footsteps, hushed voices. Whispered commands.

HYDRA is coming for them.

“Shit. We need to move,” Steve says, eyes darting around for a way out. But they’re in the middle of a pretty pre-set path. Tony doesn’t know how the hell they plan on hiding in closed quarters from the guys who know the tunnels better than they do. Except-

“There,” Steve points to a dark alcove and rushes towards it, dragging Tony behind him. Tony stumbles under the force of the abrupt pull, struggling to keep up and staggering before he feels Steve’s arm around his waist, steadying him. “Sorry,” Steve apologises as the two of them lean against each other to find their footing.

Steve’s enhanced vision hasn’t led them astray. There, in the corner of the dark alcove is a tight crack in the stone, and on the other side, another passageway. “Through here,” Steve says, tugging Tony along, but Tony freezes. The crack isn’t very long, less than six feet, and while it’s narrow, there’s enough space to squeeze their bodies through sideways. But Tony can’t do it. He takes one look at the gap, imagines the unforgiving rock walls pressing in on him from all sides, and nearly forgets how to breathe.

“Steve, I can’t-” Tony says, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His pulse is skyrocketing, Down the corridor he can hear the sound of the search party growing louder. They’re running out of time, and shadows aren’t going to be enough to cover them.

_Move, just do it. You can handle tight spaces, you’re in the suit all the damn time._ But it’s not the same, and he knows it. The suit is a part of him. It’s freedom, not being trapped.

“Tony come on, you can do this, just follow my lead,” Steve pleads. There’s raw desperation in his voice that Tony _hates_ , and the search party is close enough now he can hear their footsteps around the next bend. But still, he can’t move. So that’s it then. Escape failed. HYDRA is going to find them. They be dragged back to the base, they’ll take Steve away from him again like they always do and then Steve will forget-

Tony’s mind supplies him with an image of Steve looking at him blankly. Steve not knowing him, Steve blindly following HYDRA orders because that’s what he’s _programmed_ to do.

Hell no. Not on his watch. HYDRA doesn’t get to do that to his Steve. Tony would sooner die than let them get their hands on Steve again. Tony takes a deep breath, wills his pulse to slow, and takes Steve’s hand. They can do this.

“I’ve got you Tony,” Steve promises, and Tony believes him.

In a few seconds, it’s all over. They’re through the passage to the other side, into a tunnel that’s much dimmer, only a few spotty emergency lights every few hundred feet or so. Steve pulls them away from the gap in the wall and into a shadowed space.

The seconds tick past, agonizingly slow. Tony’s pretty sure that he _does_ stop breathing at some point, or maybe he’s just too focused on Steve’s breath to worry about his own. They’re pressed together in the shadows, hands still tightly clasped. On the far side of the gap they just squeezed themselves through they can hear the search party grow closer. Tony half expects that at any moment he’s going to see one of them appear from between the stone. He’s already thinking about how he’s going to react, eyes darting around for a rock, a piece of loose wood -- anything he can turn into a weapon to brain the first guy that steps through. But the noise begins to recede. He can hardly believe it, but sure enough the echoes are fading. The party has moved past without sparing the small alcove a second glance.

Steve breaths a sigh of relief and slides down the wall. Tony drops down beside him and tries to catch his breath.

“Holy fuck, that was too close,” Tony pants. They’re both breathing hard, the stress of a close escape and near capture weighing on them like physical exertion.

“Too close,” Steve agrees, and starts to laugh quietly. Tony looks at him like he’s insane -- or tries to anyway -- but can’t manage it because he too starts snorting. They’re both bordering on hysterical, Tony tries to shove his hand against his mouth to quiet himself, but he ends up yanking Steve’s arm with him, which somehow just makes the both of them lose it even more.

Clearly they’re both insane.

“Okay, okay,” Steve breaths after a moment, managing to calm himself. “We need to keep moving. “ Tony looks over and almost protests. They need to rest. Steve is -- well, Tony’s not quite sure what’s wrong but he’s not okay. He’s unsteady as he gets back to his feet, and Tony quickly catches his arm to help him. “I’m fine,” Steve protests, even though Tony didn’t actually say anything, so it sounds more like Steve is trying to reassure himself. Which, okay, that’s really not comforting in the least. But Steve presses on, and Tony follows. They can’t afford to wait and rest.

 

It’s obvious from the sporadic lights that this corridor isn’t on one of of the main escape routes, which suits Tony just fine. It meant that it would probably take the search teams longer to get to it. Especially since, Tony realises as they round the corner, the damn thing is a dead end, save for the ladder that leads up to a wooden hatch in the ceiling.

Steve pauses, hand on the rung, leaning against it. “Well,” he says carefully, glancing up at the hatch. “We’re not going back, so I guess we’re going up. It’s not locked, think I should be able to shoulder it open.” He and Tony both glance down at the chain between them. “We’ll have to move carefully, stay as close together as possible.” It’s a decent climb, twenty feet or so by Tony’s estimate, made all the more difficult with their attachment. Before Tony can suggest taking the lead, Steve has a foot on the ladder, right hand reaching up to a rung above his head.

“Steve, wait a second,” Tony says, standing steadfast and pulling his arm back. Steve’s hand had been shaking as he reached up, and his leg was unsteady where it was braced against the rung.

“We don’t have time to wait, Tony.” He doesn’t say he’s fine, because he’s not. Tony doesn’t point out that he’s not, because what’s the point? Steve’s right, waiting isn’t going to help. It’s just... the climb is going to be taxing. And okay, fine, Tony’s worried, he can admit that. But, that’s why the need to press on.

It’s hard to coordinate moving up together. The chain between them won’t allow Steve to move too far ahead. He’s constantly leaning back and reaching down to give Tony slack. And every time that Tony closes the gap, he needs to lean out so he can reach around Steve’s body so they’re half stacked one on top the other so that Steve has enough slack to gain a few more rungs.

It’s exhausting. Which is why Tony is resting his head against the rung in front of him when it happens. Which is why he doesn’t see when Steve’s body sways, he doesn’t see when Steve collapses. He doesn’t react fast enough when Steve’s body crashes against him. He’s caught off guard, can’t hold them both up. Steve tumbles down, and Tony barely had a chance to realise what’s happening, let alone react before all of Steve’s weight is suddenly pulling at his arm and pulling him down.

There’s a flash of pain and confusion. Tony’s pretty sure he blacked out for a second because he doesn’t really remember hitting the ground. But when he gets his senses back all he can feel is _pain_ radiating from his arm. It’s definitely broken, no two ways about it.

Well shit. Isn’t that just peachy.

Once the wave of shock passes and his senses start to settle, his next immediate thought is _Steve._ Shit. Steve had passed out. Steve wasn’t okay. Tony quickly sits upright, and then immediately regrets it as the movement jars his arm sharply. He squeezes his eyes tightly shut and swallows down a scream. He can’t risk it, not with the way his voice could carry down here.

“Tony?” Comes Steve’s voice from beside him, ragged and concerned. Tony wills his eyes open again and then immediately wishes that he hadn’t. Steve looks like hell, his eyes are unfocused, there is dirt streaked across his face, there’s blood trickling down the side of his face from a gash he got hitting the ground. Though being fair, judging by the way that Steve’s expression pales when he gets a good look at Tony, Tony doesn’t look much better. “Your arm. Tony. I’m so sorry. I thought I could- I didn’t mean- I’m-”

“Steve, would you breathe?” Tony asks, trying damn hard to do the same himself. Briefly, he remembers how for a second back in the cell, the first time Trigger Happy and Company had come to take Steve away, he’d felt invincible. Well, jokes on them. Neither of them is exactly invincible now. Moving is agonising, but Tony tries it anyway. He’d rather be sitting upright. The process is made easier when Steve wraps an arm around him and helps him prop himself up against the rock wall.

“Well. That didn’t go according to plan,” Tony sighs, glancing back up at the ladder. It’s still their only real way out, but at this point they might as well be trying to climb to the moon.

“Nothing about this went according to plan,” Steve mutters, dropping his head back against the wall, waiting for what Tony assumed was a dizzy spell to pass. “I wanted to ask you out, not get you kidnapped.”

Tony blinks, knowing that he heard Steve right but not really sure that he believes it anyway. Being aware that there was something between them, being comfortable with that, well that was a hell of a lot different than talking about it, making it real somehow. “You… did?” Tony asks, more to stall than anything. His heart is still beating fast, and he’s not sure if it’s from the injury, or the truth bomb, or both.

Steve nods. “Yeah, that was the plan. Just before they grabbed us. I’ve been thinking about it for a while and… I dunno. The moment felt right.”

Tony kind of had to agree. It had been late. Or early. That quiet time just before dawn when even the city feels almost still. Neither of them could sleep that night, Steve had suggested they get a middle of the night breakfast and one of the all night diners, and hey who was Tony to argue with a brilliant plan that meant he ended up with blueberry waffles that he didn’t have to make, and Steve’s company when he couldn’t sleep. Afterwards they’d left the diner and walked aimlessly down the side streets and narrow laneways, shoulders bumping, neither of them paying any attention to the world around them.

Which is why neither of them had seen the attack coming. One minute they were walking almost hand in hand, the next, they were waking up the cell.

“Well, if it helps,” Tony says casually., “It was probably not the absolutely worst sort of first date I’ve been on.” There’s a beat of a pause, and then Steve is stifling laughter. A second later Tony starts up too, cradling his broken arm close to himself, because damn, it hurts like hell. But they’re laughing, and sure, maybe some of it is hysterics, or drugs, or pain, or whatever. Maybe they’re trapped down in a god awful mine tunnel, counting down the seconds until HYDRA finds them. But they’re laughing. They’re bloody, shot at, broken, busted up, but they’re together. He’s not alone. That’s enough to make him hold on to hope.

“Somehow, I can believe it wasn’t the worst,” Steve says once he managed to regain some control over himself.

“Yeah, well, what can I say. I’ve made some interesting life choices,” Tony shrugs.

“I want a do over,” Steve says after a moment. “I never asked you out, so that doesn’t count as our first date. I want a do over.”

“You’re so sure I’ll say yes, and you haven’t even asked me yet,” Tony says with mock affront.

“Pretty sure you’ll say yes, yeah. But, sure. I’ll make it official. When we get out out of here… when we get _home_ , can I take you out? On a date?”

Tony almost starts laughing again, because Steve is so earnest, so sincere. And of course Tony is going to say yes, there was never any doubt about that. Honestly, Steve probably didn’t even need to ask at all. At this point, it was inevitable. One day, they were bound to cross that line and fall deeper into each other. But Tony is just as happy to speed thing along.

“We need to get out of here first, and I’m not going to be much help climbing.”

“You’re right. I’ll have to carry you up,” Steve says, pushing himself up so that he’s kneeling in front of Tony.

“Uh, excuse you?” Tony asks, taken aback. “You, the guy who just passed out are going to carry both of us? Not happening. I’ll climb one-armed if I have to.”

“You’ll climb one-armed anyway,” Steve points out, and then immediately looks guilty. “Tony I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just-”

“Steve, it’s fine,” Tony cuts him off before he can start berating himself too much. “I mean, it’s not fine. But it’s fine. Alright? It’s not your fault. The shit they gave you is messing with you.”

Steve nods reluctantly. “They were testing out variations on compounds they’d designed for Bucky. They wanted-”

“-I know,” Tony says quietly. He’s had a lot of time alone in that cell to think about it. “They don’t have their asset any more. That was a blow. They could have tried to get Barnes back but hey, why not go one better? Get an asset, and take Captain America out at the same time. It would be a huge blow to us losing you.”

Steve nods, confirming what Tony had feared, that HYDRA was gearing up to wipe him, to break him down so they could rebuild him in their own image. “But I won’t let that happen,” Tony continues. That’s why we’re gonna get out of here, Steve. And then we’re gonna level this place.” Steve looks at him and there’s a spark of humour taking the place of what was very nearly something quite different. “Okay maybe not us. Maybe Hulk. Yeah, we’ll get Hulk to level it. He’ll like that right?”

“Sure,” Steve smiles. “But first we need to get out. And to do that, we need to secure your arm.”

“Uh huh,” Tony says dubiously, “and how do you expect to do that, Cap? You keep a first aid kit in your back pocket?” Steve shakes his head, and before Tony can say or do anything, Steve is pulling at his t-shirt, ripping the seams so that he can get it off his cuffed arm and quickly tearing it into strips. “Oh you have _got_ to be kidding me,” Tony whines as Steve lays out the strips of cloth. The shirt was already in rough shape with rips and tears, so it’s not like there was going to be any saving it anyway. For the first time Tony caught a glimpse of the bullet graze on Steve’s upper arm is still red and angry -- god, that must hurt like hell, but Steve hadn’t even mentioned it. But all those thoughts of concern fell to the wayside as shirtless Steve leaned in close to him, muscles flexing and shifting with every moment. God, now was _not_ the time to get distracted staring at Steve’s chest, and his broad shoulders and strong arms.

Steve’s fingers are gentle as he takes Tony’s arm and slips it into the makeshift sling. The pain is constant, and it hurts like hell, but Steve isn’t making it worse, which is nice. With the sling secured about Tony’s neck and around his elbow, Steve then carefully bends Tony’s arm up so that it’s across his chest, hand resting against the opposite shoulder. Then, he takes a couple of lengths of fabric tied together, and wraps them around Tony’s upper body, securely holding the arm in place against his chest so that even if he’s jostled, it shouldn’t move.

“There,” Steve says as he gives the knots a final check. “Best I can do.”

He’s so close, Tony can still feel the warmth of his skin. “God, I feel like the injured damsel in some cheesy romance novel,” he complains. “Big strong shirtless hero, proving he’s a softy, gently tending to my wounds.”

“Pretty sure if this was a romance novel, I’d have to kiss you right about now,” Steve responds with a playful glint.

“Well maybe I want you to,” Tony challenges. Their eyes meet, and suddenly the moment is a lot more intense than Tony expected. He knows it’s coming, but he’s still surprised when Steve’s palm gently cradles his cheek, and he leans in to press the softest kiss to Tony’s mouth. Tony’s lips are tingling, and he wants more, he leans forward on instinct, seeking it out, but Steve pulls back, though he rests his forehead against Tony’s. They’re both trembling a little, though neither of them mention it.

“We’re going to get out of this Tony,” he promises, and Tony believes him.

“Alright, Cap, lets do this.”

The rest seems to have done Steve some good. Or maybe Tony’s kisses have healing properties for super soldiers. He might have to test that theory out a little more. In any case, Steve is stronger, steadier, which Tony is incredibly grateful for because the climb is awkward as hell. The way that Tony’s arm is braced now puts his wrist on the opposite side of his body from Steve, which means the chain between them feels a lot shorter, and Steve’s range of motion is pretty damn limited. And he can’t reach with his left arm for fear of jostling Tony. Tony clings to Steve’s back, holding on for dear life with this thighs pressed against Steve’s hips, and his good arm snaked around Steve’s chest. He holds onto a rung as Steve reaches up above their heads, and then he clings to Steve’s chest as Steve heaves them up another step. It’s slow, and it’s exhausting, and Tony’s is wishing and hoping with everything that he has that the hatch at the top isn’t locked, or stuck, because there is no chance they’ll be able to break it open.

Steve doesn’t falter at all, this time. Tony’s pretty sure they keep going by sheer stubbornness and nothing else, but it works, because eventually they reach the top, within arm’s reach of the trap door.

“Hang on, I think I can get it,” Tony says. His legs are exhausted from holding on so tightly, but he somehow finds enough of an energy reserve to push himself up a little higher, reaching with his good arm to shove at the door. The movement pulls at his broken arm, sending hot pain radiating from the break in his forearm up through his shoulder. He hisses, bites his lip to keep from crying out, and shoves again. “I think I’ve almost-” Steve gives them a little boost then, pushing them both up with his own body, and that the force they need. The door swings up and to the side, and a moment later they’re both through, laying on the ground and panting with the exertion from the climb.

“That. Was. Insane,” Tony manages to say between breaths, not caring about the way that a loose rock is digging into his shoulder. “I can’t believe you managed that.”

“You didn’t think we’d make it?” Steve asks, alarmed.

Tony shrugs. “I believed in you. But I mean, it’s pretty hard to climb a ladder with only one arm and a full grown man on your back Steve. Even at the best of times. Besides, not like we had any other choice but to try. And good news, the air isn’t so stale up here, so we must be close to an exit.”

Steve pauses for a moment longer before slowly getting to his feet, forcing Tony to stand up next to him. “You know we’re not out of the woods yet, right?” Steve says carefully. “They’re going to have teams stationed by all the exits, waiting us out. “

Tony stares at him, and blinks slowly. Logically, he knew that was a likelihood, but he hadn’t wanted to think about it. One step at a time.

“It’s what I would do,” Steve adds with a shrug.

Great. They’d come this far only to be thwarted. Tony isn’t sure that either of them has much fight left in them, and they’d definitely be at a disadvantage coming out. Besides, with Tony’s dominant arm busted and strapped up to his chest he isn’t going to be able to shoot for shit. Beside him, Steve methodically checks the stolen weapons and the couple of spare clips they have.

“We’ll be okay, We’ll get out of this.”

“I was supposed to be the one getting _you_ out,” Tony grumbles.

“You did,” Steve says, suddenly very serious. “You got me through this. You kept me sane. You found us a way out. I couldn’t have done it without you, Tony.”

Tony actually kind of believes him, which, okay, that’s weird. Steve emphasises his point by leaning in and kissing Tony again. It’s firm, and earnest, and it’s enough to make Tony believe everything that Steve is saying. It’s a reassurance, and it’s a promise that that if -- no, _when_ \-- they get back home, there’s more to follow, if Tony wants it. Which he absolutely does.

It’s over too soon, and Steve rests his hand on Tony’s shoulder to guide him down the corridor. Tony doesn’t bother to mention that fighting and running and hiding is going to be a lot harder with a busted up arm. Whatever they end up doing to get through the team they know will be waiting for them, it’s going to end up hurting like hell.

Neither of them says a word while they walk. The still air slowly starts to move. Tony breaths in deep and he can almost smell the outside. Then then turn a corner and he can _see._ Real sunlight, for the first time in days. He blinks hard, for an instant his mind supplies him memory of rocks and sand and heat, of bright sun stabbing at his eyes that had adjusted to darkness. Steve gives his shoulder a squeeze.

“We’re almost out,” he says, drawing the gun and holding it close. They press close to the walls of the tunnel, taking advantage of what little coverage the shadows provide. There’s a couple of empty wooden crates, and a small indentation near the entrance that might provide a little cover. Not much, but better than nothing. Once again, Tony is reminded that so much of their half-assed plan relies on hoping that HYDRA plans on taking them alive, and won’t be shooting to kill.

Even still, the fight is almost over before it starts.

One second Tony is standing beside Steve, waiting. The next second, Steve has thrown him to the ground, dragging him behind the crate just as a shot whizzes through the air right where Tony was standing. Tony screams. It’s not dignified, but he doesn’t care. Their position is already compromised, and the tackle sent a blinding pain shooting through his arm. Steve doesn’t apologise. He doesn’t need to, and there’s no time for it anyway.

Outside the entrance Tony can hear one of the agents reporting their location, saying that they were in the process of securing the prisoners. Tony’s stomach dropped. They were so close he could literally taste the free air. He couldn’t go back into that cell. He couldn’t let Steve go back there either. They’d never get a second chance.

Steve quickly repositions them so that Tony is under more cover, which he kinds of resents until he realises that it puts Steve in a better position to shoot. Once again, they’re out numbered, only this time there’s no door with a lock to fry. They only way they’re getting out is by taking down every single person on that team. He hopes Steve has enough rounds.

Steve doesn’t disappoint. He leans around the crate, gun raised in one hand and proves once again that for a guy who doesn’t carry a gun into the field, he’s a pretty well practised shot.

“They’re armed!” Tony hears one of the guards shout, and he can’t help but grin. Damned right, they are. And his Steve is a rockstar. The agents shoot back, half a dozen rounds cracking through the air but Steve ducks back behind the crate.

“There’s a lot of them,” Steve mutters as he darts out long enough to take another shot. “Shit, they’re advancing.” Steve ejects the empty clip and slides another into place, loading the first round into the chamber. His hands are perfectly steady, he’s completely in control of his body even though Tony knows him well enough to know that he’s terrified. Steve in action, getting shit done, is incredibly hot. Now is hardly the time to be thinking that, but it’s better than dwelling on the fact that the HYDRA team is using sheer numbers to their advantage. If they charge, there’s no way Steve can take them all down before Steve and Tony find themselves flanked.

Tony picked up his gun, awkwardly using his left hand. “It’s all or nothing,” Tony says as Steve’s eyes widen in panic. “And I really want to take you up on that second shot at a first date. Cause this one sucks.” There isn’t time, so Steve doesn’t argue. Together, they rise, and fire a volley of rounds just as the team surges forward towards the entrance. As Tony expected, his aim is shit, but the targets are close enough that it doesn’t matter. Too bad they’re wearing vests. He fires until he hears the click of an empty chamber. Well, it was a good run while it lasted. He’s just sorry that he failed to protect Steve. The vanguard is almost on them, and Tony makes a silent promise to himself. He’ll find another way to get Steve out. Even when Steve doesn’t remember him any more, Tony will get him out, or die trying.

Steve’s gun clicks empty, and Tony thinks that’s it, until the guy leading the charge drops to the ground with an arrow shaft sticking out of the back of his leg.

Tony knows that arrow.

The rest of the HYDRA team freezes and turns, just in time to see Barnes strutting into the tunnel in full tactical gear. Barton is nowhere in sight but he’s clearly out there somewhere covering Barnes. Tony feels it the moment the atmosphere shifts, every HYDRA agent full of fear. And they’re right to be. Barnes makes short work of them all, and the ones he doesn’t get to right away all very quickly end up on the ground with arrows sticking out of them. But honestly Tony isn’t paying attention anymore. His knees give out and he slumps to the ground. He doesn’t know how Clint and Barnes found them, but he doesn’t care. They’re safe. They’re going to get out. They don’t have to fight anymore. Steve is going to be okay. He’s shaking a little, but it’s okay, because Steve is too, they’re both huddled on the ground, and before either of them can say anything, Barnes is kneeling in front of them.

“Bucky,” Steve breathes in relief. “You’re here. How the hell did you find us?” Barnes rolls his eyes with a level of exasperation that would rival even Tony, but his expression softens as he speaks.

“Lucky for you, punk, finding and infiltrating HYDRA bases is one of my advanced skills. You know, inside information and all. ” He waggles his eyebrows and Tony can’t help but chuckle. There was a time when Barnes making that kind of joke would have fallen flat, but they’ve all come a long way. “JARVIS helped. We’ve been looking for you non-stop. We were just in the middle of planning a run on the base when we got word that you’d escaped. Between JARVIS and I we hacked their comms. You never did have much patience, Stevie.”

“Yeah, well, I can’t always rely on your dumb ass to save me.”

Bucky’s smile falters for a moment and he looks at Steve seriously. “You’re okay, though?” Steve nods, but he leans a little closer into Tony’s side. Bucky studies him for a moment and then nods his acceptance. “Okay. We’ll talk more later.” He turns his attention to Tony, quickly checking him over for the obvious signs of injuries -- the arm among other things -- just as Clint jogs over to their location.

“War Machine is on his way over. We’re ready for pick up and transport to medical. Sam and Nat are waiting for the backup. Clean up will be here to take care of the rest of these goons soon enough. “

“Make sure they get backups of whatever data they have on site,” Tony says quickly, “and get it to Jarvis ASAP.”

“Way ahead of you, don’t you worry your pretty face, Stark,” Clint promises. “Just relax, okay? We got this. You’re both safe.”

Tony hears the sounds of armour, and suddenly relaxing is the very last thing on his mind. In a second, he is on his feet, Steve moving beside him just as the War Machine armour lands and opens up. Rhodey rushes out, and a second later he’s slumped against his best friend’s shoulder.

“You’re gonna be the death of me, Tones,” Rhodey tells him. “Swear to god, I’m going to list ‘repeatedly saving Tony Stark,’ and ‘advanced search and rescue’ on my resume from now on.

“I’m a terrible Carmen Sandiego. You always find me.” Tony mumbles, his eyes drooping closed.

“Yeah, I do.”

==

Tony always hates going to medical, and this time is no different. But he agrees to go anyway because he’s not a total idiot, and a busted arm is something that actually needs to be treated. Besides, his going means that it’s easier to convince Steve to go and get himself checked out.

“I’ll heal Tony, it’s fine,” Steve had protested, until Tony had looked him with concern and said that it wasn’t the injuries he was worried about. Steve stopped objecting after that.

On the other hand, having Steve around while the doctors set his arm and wrapped it in a cast meant that he also had to deal with Steve’s sad kicked puppy guilt expression. Once the doctor had left, Steve opened his mouth to apologise again, but Tony had immediately pressed a finger against Steve’s lips.

“Don’t,” he said quickly. “Steve, just don’t. It’s not your fault, okay? I’ll be alright in a few weeks, stop beating yourself up, okay? Just... take me home and we’ll call it square.”

Home. They’d finally made it home. Steve has all but glued himself to Tony’s side, but honestly Tony’s okay with that. He’s not sure he could deal with having Steve out of sight, truth be told. They’re sitting on the couch together, and there’s something playing on the television, but Tony’s honestly not paying attention. He’s more interested in the way that Steve’s arm is wrapped around him, holding him close.

“So, you really meant all that? About planning to ask me out?” Tony asked, breaking the comfortable silence between them.

“Of course I did,” Steve responds, taken aback. “Did you really think I didn’t?”

“Well… no,” Tony admits, and awkwardly shrugs. “But it’s kind of nice to hear it again, you know, now that we’re not face to face with immediate recapture, and on the run, and covered in grime.”

“Tony, I was dead serious, okay? If you want to.”

For once, Tony doesn’t respond with a witty retort. He looks up at Steve, staring into his perfect, bright blue eyes. Steve seems to get the message. He leans in just as Tony tilts his head up, and their lips meet again. They fit together like they’ve been doing this for years, and Tony’s eyes flutter shut as Steve deepens the kiss. There’s no rush, no threat they need to be worried about watching for over their shoulder. Steve takes his time, teasing Tony’s mouth open and savouring the feeling.

Tony’s not in any hurry, but he’s definitely looking forward to the second first date.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on [tumblr! ](http://dapperanachronism.tumblr.com)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Art for for freedom and the fear of forgetting](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11034492) by [MusicalLuna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicalLuna/pseuds/MusicalLuna)




End file.
